| Some people work at their jobs because
| |
| | responsibility and salary.Deb says her
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| they have to make a living, and they get
| |
| | passion for diversity only continues to
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| to express themselves after work. Some
| |
| | grow. She was a founding member of the
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| people have careers that they love, and
| |
| | Conference Board Workforce Council on
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| have a hard time not taking home their
| |
| | Diversity 13 years ago . "I have never
|
| work with them when they go home. And
| |
| | been around anything else that keeps me
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| then there are successful people in the
| |
| | stimulated 24 hours a day. I rarely read
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| diversity field. They have a passion for
| |
| | anything that is not in the field. I have
|
| diversity and they live their work.
| |
| | a global vision and I want to help create
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| Whether or not they take their work home
| |
| | the kind of world that does not just
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| with them, their work is always driven by
| |
| | tolerate differences, but one where
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| the values they live every day, and their
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| | people are truly respectful and inclusive
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| lives are driven by the values they
| |
| | of other s, the kind of world that is
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| promote at work.When organizations began
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| | healthy for our children."Edgar Quiroz is
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| to embrace diversity in the 1980s, many
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| | the Director of Workforce Diversity at
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| of them thought that diversity training
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| | Kaiser Permanente's National Diversity
|
| was the answer. They thought that if
| |
| | Department. He told me, "I really never
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| every employee attended a diversity
| |
| | sought to get involved with diversity
|
| training class, biases, complaints and
| |
| | work, diversity work got involved with
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| lawsuits would disappear and everyone
| |
| | me." He grew up in San Francisco in a
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| would work together in harmony forever.
| |
| | diverse neighborhood with
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| There were two kinds of people engaged in
| |
| | African-Americans, Asians, Caucasians and
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| diversity training, education and
| |
| | Latinos like himself. While attending
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| organizational development. There were
| |
| | high school in the 1970s he was active in
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| those who thought of it as program or a
| |
| | community student leadership. "I
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| trend. These people read a few books,
| |
| | organized youth in under served
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| took a train-the-trainer class or bought
| |
| | communities city wide to help them with
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| one in the mail and called themselves
| |
| | jobs, careers, and educational
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| experts. The second group knew that it
| |
| | enhancement. Not one of my past job
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| was a process, not a one day program and
| |
| | descriptions ever included diversity as a
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| that in order to create change they
| |
| | duty, but I always managed to weave
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| needed to live it, learn it and
| |
| | diversity work into my functions. As a
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| continually develop their passion for it.
| |
| | boy, my father and I walked the picket
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| They were cognizant of the need to
| |
| | lines with Cesar Chavez in support of the
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| integrate diversity into the business
| |
| | UFW." He began working at SF General
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| strategy of any organization and the rest
| |
| | Hospital as a youth outreach worker. "I
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| of their lives. They also knew there were
| |
| | worked with young people who were
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| no quick fixes-that it took patience, and
| |
| | homeless, drug and alcohol addicted,
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| time-but change was possible.The first
| |
| | prostitutes, battered and abused.Today
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| group lost interest and went on to
| |
| | Edgar says he is privileged to be the
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| something else but people in the second
| |
| | Director of Workforce Diversity for
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| group are still here helping to create
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| | Kaiser Permanente where he has worked for
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| change They're working to create
| |
| | 20 years. During this time he was a
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| inclusive environments where all people
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| | founding board member and past president
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| can do their best work and have their
| |
| | of the Kaiser Permanente Latino
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| individual skills and talents,
| |
| | Association. "I chose Kaiser Permanente
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| recognized, appreciated and utilized.I
| |
| | because their social mission on community
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| wanted to know more about this passion
| |
| | wellnes, diversity and cultural
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| for diversity and where it came from.
| |
| | competency are aligned with my own. My
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| What drives some individuals to maintain
| |
| | primary three areas of involvement are:
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| their personal mission, vision and values
| |
| | 1) Enhance the diversity, cultural
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| despite resistance, challenges and nay
| |
| | competence, skill and performance of our
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| sayers. I interviewed four people whose
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| | workforce; 2) Provide culturally
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| passion for diversity is so great it's
| |
| | competent medical care and culturally
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| like a magnetic force that continues to
| |
| | appropriate service to improve the health
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| get stronger and attract everything in
| |
| | and satisfaction of our increasing
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| its path. These four people are Terry
| |
| | diversity membership; 3) Grow our
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| Howard, Director of Diversity for Texas
| |
| | membership through effective market
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| Instruments; Michele Atlas from Workforce
| |
| | segmentation approaches that target
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| Diversity Network; Deb Dagit, Executive
| |
| | specific populations which are the
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| Diversity Director at Merck; and, Edgar
| |
| | fastest growing segments of our
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| Quiroz, Director of Strategic Initiatives
| |
| | society".Diversity impacts his personal
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| and Innovation at Kaiser Permanente.I
| |
| | life every day. His family is bi-racial,
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| asked all of them, Why did you get
| |
| | and it is important to him that they all
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| involved in diversity? Here are their
| |
| | know, embrace and celebrate both his
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| stories:Terry Howard, Director of
| |
| | Latino culture and the African-American
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| Diversity at Texas Instruments, has a
| |
| | culture. "My passion for diversity has
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| long-standing and personal connection
| |
| | increased to a point that far exceeded
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| with diversity. "As an African-American
| |
| | any of my expectations. It's only gotten
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| male, I've been involved in and
| |
| | better and I maintain my lifetime
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| experienced diversity my entire life.
| |
| | relationships with mentors and
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| From a career standpoint, I actually got
| |
| | colleagues. I love my work, and there is
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| involved in this work by 'default.'
| |
| | a lot more work to do. As a country we
|
| During the mid 1980s, I managed a group
| |
| | have to pay more attention to populations
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| charged with delivering employment and
| |
| | that have been ignored so more people
|
| EEO service for AT&T. Our client base was
| |
| | have access to quality health care. I
|
| very diverse and that itself heightened
| |
| | remain optimistic and hopeful. I am
|
| my interest in this work. The challenge
| |
| | inspired by all others who are also
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| of fostering awareness of that growing
| |
| | working for change."Michelle Atlas began
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| diversity and leveraging it was most
| |
| | her career in Vocational Rehabilitation
|
| intriguing to me. In 1986, I read the
| |
| | in Rochester, New York over 13 years ago.
|
| Hudson Institute report Workforce 2000.
| |
| | Seven years ago, she was hired by the
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| This ignited me and I knew I wanted to
| |
| | Rochester Business Alliance to create a
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| help break new ground."Terry's passion
| |
| | new program to provide employment
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| and his involvement in diversity continue
| |
| | services to people with disabilities.
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| to grow. He now supports 15 diversity
| |
| | After the first year, she was asked to
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| affinity groups at Texas Instruments, as
| |
| | represent the Rochester Business Alliance
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| well as the many business level diversity
| |
| | at the Workforce Diversity Network, an
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| committees and their annual diversity
| |
| | organization whose mission is to create a
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| conferences. "In between, I write a
| |
| | nationwide learning network to support
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| monthly internal diversity column and
| |
| | organizations in learning more about the
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| issue periodic diversity tips on the full
| |
| | benefits of diversity in the workplace,
|
| range of diversity topics, and I speak on
| |
| | and is expanding to other areas in the
|
| diversity and inclusion at meetings and
| |
| | USA "I didn't know a lot about other
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| retreats internally and externally ."
| |
| | areas of diversity beyond disability, but
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| Recently he founded the Diversity
| |
| | as I began to learn about all the other
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| Connection Symposium for Texas Diversity
| |
| | dimensions, diversity and inclusion
|
| Professionals, a group consisting of
| |
| | became so important to me and I kept
|
| representatives from Shell Oil, Price
| |
| | learning and expanding my knowledge base
|
| Waterhouse, First American, Intel,
| |
| | about every component." As a
|
| Intuit, JC Penny, Delotte and others and
| |
| | representative, Michele got to meet
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| delivered talks in France and China. He
| |
| | diversity leadership in various kinds of
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| takes his passion for diversity and
| |
| | organizations. She learned more about
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| inclusion to the community, having
| |
| | diversity initiatives and issues that
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| participated in a community march against
| |
| | organizations were dealing with. "I felt
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| hate. "One of the things I'm most proud
| |
| | a very strong affinity for this work. I
|
| of is my role in the successful
| |
| | went from being a representative to the
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| integration of religion and faith in the
| |
| | Diversity Workforce Network to serving on
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| workplace amid lots of skepticism." He
| |
| | the board and becoming a part time staff
|
| said that people were still talking about
| |
| | member; working with the Executive
|
| the standing room only session "When
| |
| | director, and coordinating membership and
|
| Traditional Religion Meets Sexual
| |
| | organizing our national conference. I
|
| Orientation". When asked what drives him
| |
| | love the spirit of the other people who
|
| his reply was, "My passion is driven by
| |
| | do this kind of work. My passion comes
|
| my curiosity about the far-reaching
| |
| | from being a part of something that is so
|
| implications of diversity and getting
| |
| | good for the world at so many levels. I'm
|
| organizations to see that connection. It
| |
| | excited by other cultures, and I am part
|
| never stops."Deb Dagit, Executive
| |
| | of an incredible program called the
|
| Director of Diversity for Merck, told me
| |
| | Mosaic Partnership where leaders in our
|
| that she had lived months at a time from
| |
| | region are partnered with someone from a
|
| when she was 11 to 16 in the Shriners
| |
| | different race and participate in group
|
| Hospital to receive treatment for a bone
| |
| | coaching sessions."Michelle talked about
|
| condition that resulted in fractures and
| |
| | how crucial it is for people in the
|
| bone deformities. She was there with
| |
| | health care field to be culturally
|
| other children who had bone and burn
| |
| | competent. Besides her part time work
|
| disabilities from all over the world. "I
| |
| | with WDN, she consults, coaches and
|
| became close to kids from all over the
| |
| | trains people who employ people with
|
| world who were also living in the
| |
| | disabilities to be more culturally
|
| hospital for months at a time, cut off
| |
| | competent. "My learning points have been
|
| from families and "normal" life . I
| |
| | to honestly assess my own biases and to
|
| learned what we had in common was more
| |
| | then be able to help other people assess
|
| significant than what was different,
| |
| | their own and feel safe. Learning about
|
| regardless of our cultural
| |
| | my own biases has been very liberating
|
| differences."During the time she spent in
| |
| | and other people I work with have said
|
| public school she was separated from the
| |
| | that it is true for them. If we want to
|
| rest of her class as schools were not
| |
| | move forward from diversity to inclusion
|
| required to integrate children with
| |
| | we have to identify our subtle biases and
|
| disabilities and therefore there were
| |
| | work through them. I hope I never stop
|
| many restrictions on how she was allowed
| |
| | learning."Although these four individuals
|
| to attend. She had to sit right next to
| |
| | are from different industries and came to
|
| the teacher's desk and was not allowed to
| |
| | diversity work from different experiences
|
| go to recess or lunch with the other
| |
| | and backgrounds, they share certain
|
| kids. In describing her experiences she
| |
| | qualities and experiences that contribute
|
| says, "Because of how I was treated, I
| |
| | to their passion for diversity. From
|
| related to other kids who were also seen
| |
| | Deb's voracious reading of diversity
|
| as needing extra attention from the
| |
| | books to Michele's personal involvement
|
| teacher, whether for behavioral issues or
| |
| | with the Mosaic Partnership, we see that
|
| learning challenges . Issues of fairness,
| |
| | these four remarkable individuals have
|
| respect and inclusion became very
| |
| | all cultivated lifestyles that support
|
| important to me as I observed who was
| |
| | their passion for diversity. They live
|
| singled out and how this caused them to
| |
| | and breathe diversity-both coming from
|
| be treated by other members of the class
| |
| | diverse backgrounds and seeking out
|
| ." After graduation, Dagit tutored people
| |
| | diverse interactions and experiences.
|
| who immigrated from Vietnam after the
| |
| | They have all adopted learning
|
| war. She saw how they struggled to learn
| |
| | orientations so they can continue to
|
| the language, culture, and to fit in with
| |
| | develop their own cultural competence and
|
| other kids.She explained that there is a
| |
| | help others to do the same. Moreover, as
|
| disproportionate number of people with
| |
| | we saw with Edgar's work with underserved
|
| disabilities who are veterans and who are
| |
| | communities and Terry's work with
|
| from minority backgrounds for a variety
| |
| | "Traditional Religion Meets Sexual
|
| of reasons , and that along with
| |
| | Orientation" in the workplace, the
|
| diversity issues amongst people with
| |
| | passion of these four diversity leaders
|
| disabilities who come from different
| |
| | is driven by a lot of 'Cs': courage,
|
| backgrounds, there are diversity issues
| |
| | concern, and commitment to diversity
|
| around different types of disabilities.
| |
| | initiatives. Be it Terry's commitment to
|
| "Some disabilities are more stigmatized
| |
| | helping organizations understand the
|
| than others," she noted.Her experiences
| |
| | implications of diversity, Deb's global
|
| inspired her to become a diversity
| |
| | goals for a better world, Edgar's views
|
| leader. She traveled to Washington DC and
| |
| | on what this country needs to better meet
|
| spoke to lawmakers about the importance
| |
| | the health needs of its diverse
|
| of passing the ADA and fought against
| |
| | population, or Michele's emphasis on
|
| weakening amendments . "During that time
| |
| | breaking down barriers through helping
|
| I thought about struggles and victories
| |
| | people safely address their own biases,
|
| like Brown vs. the Board of Education and
| |
| | this is truly a visionary group of
|
| the Voting Rights Act, and the importance
| |
| | professionals. Most importantly, their
|
| of civil rights for all people. This
| |
| | visions are long-term, powerful, and
|
| experience also caused her to realize the
| |
| | important ones that they consistently
|
| importance of 'reasonable accommodation'
| |
| | move forward a day at a time. These are
|
| for all employees as a foundation for
| |
| | the kinds of diversity leaders that we
|
| what are now called 'work environment'
| |
| | need working in rganizations of all
|
| initiatives.""In my first corporate job
| |
| | kinds.For an organization to successfully
|
| out of college I was told very matter of
| |
| | leverage the diversity of its
|
| factly that I would never get beyond an 8
| |
| | organization to improve its performance
|
| or 9 dollar and hour entry level job.
| |
| | three concurrent imperatives must be in
|
| After about 5-6 years I began to realize
| |
| | place. First, diversity must be part of
|
| that they were serious about this low
| |
| | your overall business strategy and,
|
| ceiling, so l left the corporate world
| |
| | secondly, your organization must move
|
| for four years and I worked in the
| |
| | from representation and numbers to
|
| non-profit sector primarily on disability
| |
| | inclusion at every level. Finally, you
|
| issues . As comfortable and engaging as
| |
| | will only be successful if you bring in
|
| it was to be with my "tribe," I knew that
| |
| | diversity leaders who not only have
|
| to effect real systemic changes more
| |
| | knowledge of but a passion for
|
| broadly. it needed to be from the inside
| |
| | diversity.Simma Lieberman is a consultant
|
| out, companies nee d to see diversity and
| |
| | and speaker who helps organizations
|
| inclusion as important to the success of
| |
| | create more profitable cultures. She
|
| their business and consistent with the
| |
| | specializes in Diversity and Inclusion,
|
| workplace ethics and corporate social
| |
| | Gender Communication and Power Living.
|
| responsibility values the espouse. When I
| |
| | Contact Simma to help your organization
|
| re-entered the private sector it was as
| |
| | and the people in it be more successful.
|
| an executive with senior level
| |
| |
|
